Our Moments
by Khira-chan
Summary: Turning points of the relationship between Kakashi and Iruka since the death of the Third Hokage until the end of the manga. Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

**Our Moments**

 **By Khira**

 **Summary:** Turning points of the relationship between Kakashi and Iruka since the death of the Third Hokage until the end of the manga. Yaoi.

 **A/N:** Hello everyone! This is my first Kakairu story. I originally wrote it in Spanish (still in process), and now I'm going to translate it into English with the help of my beta Merley (thank you so much!).

Hope you enjoy it!

Khira

* * *

 **Scene 1**

He didn't want to invade his privacy. He just wanted to make sure he was alright.

Those two thoughts danced around in Kakashi's mind while, using his best skills as a ninja to avoid detection, clasped to the side of Iruka's apartment window, with a sharpened ear like a common spy.

At first he heard nothing. Well, Iruka had just arrived back from the Third's funeral less than five minutes ago. Actually, the funeral had been over for more than an hour, but Iruka had stayed there a long time, alone in the rain, watching the stone written with the name of someone who had been like a father to him. Kakashi had watched him from the distance, not daring to approach him in order to give him privacy to grieve. On his way home, Kakashi quietly followed him roof-to-roof, his eyes trained solely on the chuunin. Iruka had stopped to buy a bottle of sake, which meant that the young teacher was going to drown his sorrows in alcohol and that worried the jounin.

After a few minutes, Kakashi began to hear the first sounds. Crockery sounds. And a few seconds later, Iruka was pouring himself a drink. Kakashi knew that by the sound of the liquid. He sighed. Perhaps it would just be one drink.

But Iruka poured himself a second drink. And a third. Kakashi bit his lip. What should he do? His heart ached for concern. He wished they were friends; if they were, he could come to his home and simply take care of him and his future hangover. But they were not friends, they were just acquaintances. And since that unfortunate incident, when Kakashi insisted that Team 7 was ready to face the chuunin exams and Iruka was opposed to it, they had barely spoken.

Iruka poured himself the fourth drink. Kakashi clenched his teeth. The last time Iruka had drunk so much it was when that stupid Mizuki showed his true colors. Many people believed that Iruka and Mizuki had just been colleagues, but Kakashi knew - his old habit of spying - that there was something else. And when Iruka came back home from the hospital where he had to remain hospitalized because of the wound on his back – a wound caused by Mizuki - the young teacher had emptied two bottles of sake and cried and cried until he fell asleep. Maybe this time would be the same and the only consequences for Iruka would just be a terrible headache.

Suddenly, a loud noise startled Kakashi. Concern made him ignore his ninja instinct to remain hidden as he looked through the window. Iruka had smashed the sake bottle against the wall -at least he couldn't drink more sake that night - and now he was bent over his knees, his face buried in his arms, sobbing. Heartbreaking sobs, in this case Kakashi's heart.

He just couldn't see him like this and do nothing.

The jounin ignored the warning signs in his head and entered the house through the window. Iruka reacted almost instantly, jumping up and looking surprised at the intruder with teary eyes.

"Kakashi?!" he exclaimed.

"Iruka..."

Iruka tried to wipe his face with both hands, but tears kept falling and soon his face was wet again. He had removed his uniform jacket and wore only a plain black T-shirt.

"Kakashi... What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you. _I'm_ worried about you."

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine to me."

A tense expression appeared on Iruka's face, but it faded quickly. The chuunin stifled a sob again and wiped his face with one hand, clearly embarrassed.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry."

"Can't help it."

Kakashi knew he was talking too much, but at this time it was more important to him to comfort Iruka than hide his own feelings. He approached him slowly and put a friendly hand on his shoulder. Iruka was shivering from crying.

"Iruka..."

"I'll be fine..." the young teacher repeated, but his voice broke, "Fuck…"

Kakashi couldn't take it anymore. He held Iruka with both arms and hugged him.

"Keep on crying. It isn't good to hold the tears in."

"I shouldn't cry..." Iruka sobbed against his neck, "I am an adult ninja, for goodness sakes, I shouldn't cry…"

"Forget that and keep going. That's an order."

Iruka did. He cried on Kakashi's shoulder for a while and he – in turn - did not care. Finally he had Iruka in his arms, although the circumstances were not exactly the best.

When Iruka stopped crying at last, he did not turn away, but stood silently next to Kakashi. This surprised the jounin who began to feel nervous. Iruka was pressed against him, so tightly, and Kakashi, who had been long wanting, wasn't made of ice.

"Iruka..." he rasped.

"Why are you here?" Iruka's voice was a little doughy, and Kakashi realized that the alcohol was beginning to take effect.

"I've told you. I was worried about you."

"But why? I thought you didn't like me."

Kakashi assumed that Iruka was saying that because of the incident with the chuunin tests, but refused to bring it up.

"That's impossible. Everybody likes you. The whole village adores you."

Iruka stifled an embarrassed giggle. Yes, the alcohol had definitely gone to his head.

And Kakashi was getting a little problem of his own...

 _«Don't notice it, please... »,_ he pleaded mentally. He knew all he had to do was pull away, but for some reason his limbs didn't respond to the commands of his brain. He could not blame them. Having Iruka pressed so tight against his body... It was like heaven!

But even a drunk Iruka noticed. And let him know.

"Kakashi... Are you excited…?"

Kakashi stared at the ceiling of the room and cursed his reproductive system for having his own life. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. Hopefully Iruka would not remember any of this the following day.

"Yes. I am. I'm sorry Iruka, I didn't want to bother you."

To his disappointment, Iruka pulled away from him. But when Kakashi looked at his face, Iruka did not seem upset, not even surprised, just... curious.

"This is.. because of me?"

Kakashi swallowed.

"Yes. This is because of you."

"Oh."

After a moment of silence, something happened that Kakashi did not expect. Iruka reached out and touched him. He touched him _there_. Kakashi winced and instinctively grabbed Iruka's wrist, but the chuunin didn't set aside his hand.

"Iruka, what are you doing ...?"

Iruka said nothing. He slid his hand just above the cloth and pressed the bulge a little.

Kakashi hissed and clawed his nails at Iruka's bare skin.

"Damn it, Iruka..."

"Don't want to?"

 _Don't want to?_ For god's sake, of course he _wanted to_. He had loved Iruka for so many years, indeed the first time Kakashi noticed him, Iruka was so young that their relationship would have been illegal. But he never dared to take the step: on one hand because Iruka had never shown any interest in him beyond professional, on the other because the jounin had gotten used to loving him from the distance. Besides, Mizuki was there for him. But now Kakashi was suddenly in this situation, on the threshold to do something that until now he had only been allowed to in his dreams.

The problem was: did Iruka want it? Or was it just a bad reaction to alcohol?

"You want to…?" Kakashi asked, even though he couldn't trust his response.

Iruka looked down for a moment, staring at the bulk in Kakashi pants with unfocused eyes.

"It's been a while…" it was all Iruka said as he moved his hand up and down.

 _«It's been a while_ sincewhat _?»,_ Kakashi was despaired. Since he had relations? Since he didn't want to have them? Or since he wasn't so drunk?

He couldn't stand it anymore. Iruka's hand was driving him crazy. He had to force an honest answer. So Kakashi released his wrist, took off his mask, wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed him.

Kakashi kissed Iruka heartily, with all the love accumulated through the years, he held nothing back. Iruka groaned and Kakashi took the opportunity to leave no corner of his mouth unexplored. With one hand, he yanked the chuunin's hair tie and threw it to the ground. He then buried his hand in Iruka's hair, enjoying the touch while gently pulling a few strands.

And there it was. The honest answer Kakashi needed. Iruka's arousal against him. Kakashi smiled and pushed him step by step towards the bed, until the young teacher stopped back on it. Kakashi watched him for a moment: wild hair, rosy cheeks, swollen lips. The sight of his waist. The bulge in his pants.

"Oh, Iruka…" he gasped, and laid ontop of him.

* * *

Although it was early morning and Kakashi was tired, he was unable to sleep a wink. Having Iruka sleeping beside him, his head resting on his chest, kept him awake, knowing that at any moment he may wake up to a not so pleasant awakening.

They had not gone far, only played with each other, but still Kakashi felt guilty for taking advantage of the drunk chuunin. What if Iruka thought just that? What if he did not forgive him? What if he did not return to speak to him ever? Kakashi couldn't bear a rejection so obvious.

Distracted with those pessimistic thoughts, he stroked Iruka's hair slowly until he noticed him move. The chuunin was waking up.

Now was the moment of truth.

Iruka sat up slowly, looking at Kakashi without seeing him, probably processing his last memories. Finally his eyes focused on the jounin, his bare chest first and then his face uncovered. He took a quick look around the room, his bare feet protruding from the sheets, and finally he looked at Kakashi again. Then he opened his eyes wide, realizing something, though it was not what the other man expected.

"You're not wearing your mask..." He murmured.

"It would have been difficult to kiss you?" was all Kakashi could think to say.

A slight flush spread over the cheeks of chuunin. He looked back at the sheets for a second time.

"We... uh..." He hesitated with uncertainty, "Did we…?"

"Fuck?" Iruka winced at the word. Kakashi couldn't help feeling annoyed to find out that Iruka remembered less than he expected, "No. Of course not."

"Why _of course_?" Iruka repeated blankly.

"You were not in any condition to get that far."

"Oh. But according to you, I was in a condition to do other things, then."

Kakashi fears were coming true. Iruka thought he had taken advantage of him. All or nothing, the jounin said. If he did not want to lose what little relationship he had with Iruka, he had to confess.

Iruka sat on one side of the bed and reached for his underwear while Kakashi searched for words. As Iruka was about to get up, Kakashi held him by hugging him back. Iruka froze, but did not pull away.

"Wait..." Kakashi murmured against his hair. "I have to tell you something." He took a deep breath before he continued, "What happened between us ... what we have done ... You have to know that I would not have laid a hand on you if you weren't excited too..."

"I was drunk..." Iruka replied.

"And I'm in love with you. So I could not stop."

There was silence for a moment. Iruka got rid of Kakashi's arms to stand and face him.

"You what?" he asked, with an expression that said he was in no mood for his jokes.

"I'm in love with you," Kakashi repeated without hesitation. The cards were already on the table so there was no backing down now.

"You never..." Iruka didn't know what to say. "I mean, you... You are not..."

"Gay?" Kakashi said.

"I was going to say that you have never shown interest in me, but yes, that too."

"I don't know if I'm gay or not, Iruka, but I don't give a shit. I'm only interested in you, and the reason I didn't express it to you is because..." _«_ Because you did not show interest in me. Because I was afraid of your rejection. Because I'm a coward. Because it was easier to me to love you from distance. Because I didn't want you to suffer if something was wrong. Because I did not want to suffer if something happened to you. Because I realized that although we're not in a relationship, it would destroy me to lose you _»_. "Well, because you were with Mizuki," it was all he dared to say.

To Iruka it was a slap in the face.

"That was long ago!" was all he managed to say, hurt and surprised.

"Not so long…" Kakashi insisted quietly.

Iruka clutched his hair, nervously.

"And now what?" he asked.

 _«That's what I'm asking myself»,_ Kakashi thought. He looked at the sheets and realized that he was still naked and not wearing his mask, "I should put something on." he murmured.

Iruka said nothing, only nodded and quietly withdrew to let Kakashi cover himself.

After a few minutes, already dressed and with the mask in place, Kakashi found Iruka in the kitchen, also dressed. Despite being a late-night, the chuunin was drinking a cup of coffee. He offered Kakashi one who shook his head in turn.

"Well, I think I should leave", Kakashi said, and Iruka said nothing again. That silence on his part irritated him, but he decided it was not the time to push. Kakashi turned to the door. "Sorry for your loss", he said before leaving.

And with the door already closed, he heard Iruka's response through the wood.

"Thank you…"

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Our Moments**

 **By Khira**

* * *

 **Scene 2**

The death of the Third had serious consequences on Konoha, especially on its inhabitants, who still couldn't believe that their beloved leader was gone. The organization of the village was also a problem; the lack of a leader potentially giving the impression to other villages that Konoha was vulnerable and indeed it was. Hence in order to conceal it, the amount of ordered missions increased more than ever before.

Even Iruka, who was more used to delivering scrolls than receive them, had been called up. The ninja academy had been closed temporarily due to the recent circumstances. So, on that day, the chuunin went to the mission office to stand on the opposite side of the counter and receive a scroll with instructions; he checked that the range of the awarded mission was reasonable, the name of his colleagues, and he turned ready to leave as soon as possible.

But then he saw Kakashi. The jounin had just returned from a mission and judging by his dirty uniform and bloodstains, it had not been easy. But he seemed unscathed, so the blood was clearly not his.

Kakashi also saw Iruka. When their eyes met, Iruka couldn't help but blush. With each passing day he had remembered more details of the night they spent together and realized the jounin definitely had _not_ taken advantage of him.

"Hello" Kakashi greeted as he approached the counter without looking at anyone in particular. Iruka didn't know who Kakashi was waving too for sure, but just in case he waved back.

"Hello" he murmured politely.

Kakashi delivered the report of his mission. Iruka smiled a little while taking notice to the face of the ninja behind the desk as he scanned the report. Oh, yes, he had, many times, suffered Kakashi's poor handwriting too. The jounin looked at him and Iruka blushed slightly. The chuunin turned to leave, but then he heard Kakashi call for him softly, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Iruka, wait."

"What is it?"

"We need to talk."

The young teacher swallowed hard. He knew what Kakashi wanted to talk about and he was not sure if he was ready. And he had the perfect excuse.

"I have a mission."

Kakashi took a quick look at the scroll in Iruka's hands.

"It's C rank." Kakashi replied without a hint of mockery in his tone. He was just reciting a fact, "It can wait a few minutes."

"All right…" Iruka accepted reluctantly. He could find no other excuse.

They walked out of the mission room; Iruka behind Kakashi at a safe distance so no one could see them coming out together. For it would attract curious looks or comments that could degenerate into malicious gossip and Iruka hated gossip.

As they walked together, Iruka began to think about what he should say. He was well aware of the fact that the jounin hadn't received any response to his question, the one that always is implicit when declaring it to someone else no matter the circumstances. The usual: And you?

 _«I'm in love with you»,_ Kakashi said. _And you?_

No, Iruka was not in love with Kakashi. He was attracted to him, sure, but who wasn't? The jounin was strong, the strongest of the village, perhaps in the country, and he had that mysterious and melancholic personality, bizarre yet lovely. He was serious when he had to be and funny when he was allowed to. He also had a good body, thin but bundled with broad shoulders, and, Iruka had the luxury of finding out that night that he was very handsome. He wondered again about the same thing like all the people of the village did: why the mask?

Anyway, the point was that Kakashi, in his late twenties, was the most eligible bachelor of the village. That led Iruka to another important question: what the hell did Kakashi see in him?

Perhaps it was a whim. Yes, surely it was just that. The eccentric and desired Kakashi of the Sharingan had a crush on the bland and timid schoolteacher.

"Iruka" Kakashi's voice halted his walking and thoughts. They were in the middle of a corridor. A clear corridor, but someone could step in on them at any time.

"No, not here. Somebody could see us."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Are you ashamed to be seen with me?" he asked, trying to look nonchalant, but there was obvious hurt in his voice.

"Of course not!" Iruka retorted. Being in the company of Hatake Kakashi wasn't shameful at all, but he just didn't want anyone hearing their conversation. Homosexuality was not a crime in the ninja world, at least not in the Land of Fire, but not everyone was ok with it, "I'd prefer to talk about this in private; I don't want anyone to hear us and rumors being spreading. Come this way."

Iruka led him to a small store that was just down the corridor. They entered and closed the door behind them.

"Well, tell me," Iruka started, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. The store wasn't very big and being in that small space with Kakashi... maybe it hadn't been a great idea after all.

Kakashi didn't beat around the bush, "Are you still thinking that I took advantage of you?" he asked.

Iruka blushed again, "No..."

An audible and undisguised sigh escaped from Kakashi's lips, "Do you remember what happened?"

"Yes... Quite."

"Didn't like it?"

"You know I did." At this point Iruka's face was scarlet. How could Kakashi be talking so calmly about this?

"So?"

"So…?" Iruka didn't mean to be cruel, but he really didn't know what to say. He didn't even know what Kakashi wanted from him.

Suddenly the jounin raised a gloved hand and touched Iruka's face with his fingertips. A soft touch, but it made Iruka's heart go faster. With the other hand Kakashi took off his mask and Iruka stopped breathing.

Yes, he was extremely handsome.

Kakashi leaned down, probably meant to kiss him, and Iruka understood he had to make things as clear as soon as possible.

"Kakashi, I d-don't..." he stammered. Kakashi stopped, waiting for what he had to say, "I do not... I like you, but… I'm not...

"In love with me?" Kakashi finished the sentence for him.

"I'm sorry." Iruka closed his eyes. He didn't want to see sadness or disappointment on Kakashi's beautiful face.

"I already know that."

Iruka opened his eyes.

"Oh."

"But... can I kiss you?"

Feeling confused, with his heart still pounding, Iruka nodded. Then Kakashi kissed him and Iruka realized that the confused memories of that night didn't do justice to the lips that were currently on his, Kakashi's lips.

* * *

They left the store ten minutes later. Iruka was hot and his lips were so swollen that anyone could have noticed. Luckily, for the time being, the corridor was empty.

"When will you come back from the mission?" Kakashi asked. Unlike Iruka, he looked as fresh as a rose in May.

"If everything goes well, tomorrow night."

"Let's hope it goes well then." Judging by his tone, he really seemed to want Iruka to come back soon.

"Yes. Uh... well, see you around."

"See you."

And so they parted.

* * *

The mission didn't go well. At all.

What had begun as a theoretically simple C-rank mission had ended in an unexpected ambush by a group of vicious mercenaries against three chuunins. The three were treacherously attacked and the captain of Iruka's team had to stay alone so Iruka could get out with the youngest of the three men, an eighteen year-old boy who was badly injured.

Now Iruka was in the Konoha hospital, after leaving his young comrade with the medical team, arguing with Genma and the other jounin because they didn't want him to return to his captain.

"I have to go back." Iruka said, his blood-stained hands were shaking so much because of the tension and the effort to bring his comrade to safety. At some point in the battle he had lost his rubber band and felt his hair stick to his face, "The captain is out there alone... I have to go back!"

"No" Genma replied curtly, his inseparable senbon sticking to one side of his mouth, "The C-mission has become an A one. You must stay here so they can attend you too. We'll go for the captain."

"Then I'm coming with you!"

"Don't! Iruka, you stay here. That's an order."

 _That's an order_. « _Damn jounins_ », Iruka thought to himself; always using the same words when they wanted to end an argument with someone of lower rank than them.

Iruka watched them go helplessly. A nurse approached him offering to help, but he ignored her, although his side really ached. But then someone came up to him, someone he couldn't ignore.

"Iruka..." Kakashi's voice was a mixture of surprise and horror.

"Kakashi..." Iruka came out of the angry trance. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit a comrade. What about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"But you're... soaked in blood."

"It's not mine." Iruka looked at his hands, his arms, torso, legs... His whole body was covered with the blood of his young comrade. It was then that he knew that the boy wouldn't make it. No one could survive after losing so much blood. « _Fuck_...»

He was seeing only blood. Blood all over him. Iruka staggered. Kakashi was holding him instantly.

"Iruka!"

"I must... I have to change my clothes... The blood..."

"Iruka, you better stay here." With a gesture, Kakashi called the nurse still prowling around.

"No, no, I don't want to be here. I want to go home... I have to wash..."

As the adrenaline decreased his side ached more and his vision was becoming blurred. Iruka didn't see blood anymore, only brown and black spots. He knew he was fainting, but couldn't do anything about it. And to make things worse, he was going to faint in Kakashi's arms. « _How appropriate_ », was the last thing he was able to think clearly before losing consciousness.

* * *

Later, surprisingly Iruka woke up in his own bed. The first thing he did was to look at his hands. There was no trace of blood and he was wearing clean clothes. Then he looked to the right side of the bed where Kakashi, sitting on the edge with his face uncovered, looked at him with relief and still some concern.

"How do you feel?" the jounin asked.

"Fine." Iruka replied, which was true, but immediately he was reminded of the fallen, and he wanted to cry, "But my fellow..."

"Your fellow team is okay."

Iruka blinked, "What?"

"The two are alright. The captain managed to escape and the boy you carried will recover. Narrowly, but he will."

"Oh my god..." Iruka wanted to cry again, but this time in relief. He covered his face with his hands, "I .. I didn't think they would... Oh thank god! "

When he had calmed down, he lowered his hands and looked back at Kakashi as he felt something on his side. As if reading his mind, the jounin gave him an explanation.

"And you had an open wound on the side that should have been taken care of immediately because you were losing blood. That's why you fainted."

"Oh." At least he had an excuse for fainting like a schoolgirl at the sight of so much blood. Then he realized something, "Shouldn't I be in the hospital? How it is that I'm in my own house?"

"Would you rather be in the hospital?"

"Of course not."

Iruka couldn't stand hospitals. He had been in the hospital where he had seen the bodies of his parents. He had been in the hospital after Mizuki broke his heart and almost his spine. One centimeter more to the left and he would have been paralyzed, doctors repeated that phrase for weeks.

"That was what I thought." Kakashi nodded, "That's why I brought you here as soon as I was allowed. I thought you'd rather wake up in your bed and not in the hospital."

Did Kakashi know something about his hatred for hospitals? Well, it wasn't a total secret; his friends knew.

"Thank you," he said with a tiny smile. Seriously, he was grateful.

To his surprise, Kakashi actually _blushed_. Just a little, but enough for Iruka to notice.

 _«He's in love with me»,_ Iruka realized, and for the first time, the words made sense. Kakashi was in love with him. Until that moment he had not believed it.

He was stunned.

"What?" Kakashi asked, noticing that something was on his mind.

"You're in love with me..." Iruka muttered, and immediately regretted it. Kakashi did not seem to take it badly though his shoulders stiffened slightly.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Now Kakashi was stunned.

"Why…?" he repeated blankly.

Iruka swallowed a few times, trying to bring order to his thoughts.

"I mean… You are Hatake Kakashi, Kakashi of the Sharingan, the powerful Copy Ninja, and I'm just... Umino Iruka."

"What's wrong with being Umino Iruka?" Kakashi asked with a patient and toneless voice. If he was uncomfortable because of the conversation, he was trying to hide it.

"Nothing, I think, but... I'm just a chuunin, a simple schoolteacher. Why me?" Kakashi looked ready to respond, but Iruka realized that the purpose of the question seemed only to increase his ego and stopped the jounin with a gesture, "Sorry, I don't know what I'm saying. I think I'm a little tired..."

Kakashi's shoulders relaxed. He put his mask in place.

"Yes, you should rest. I have to go on another mission but will be back today. Even so, I'll let someone watch over you, okay?"

"Huh?"

Before Iruka could protest, Kakashi made a _kuchiyose no jutsu_ and a small dog appeared above the sheets.

"Hey boss!" the pug greeted to his master lifting a paw. Then he turned to Iruka. "What's up, kid?"

 _«Kid? I'm twenty three years old!»_

"Are you going to leave _Pakkun_ here to watch over me?" Iruka asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Do I have to stay here watching over _him_?" the pug asked, doing the same gesture. Iruka glared at the dog.

"Pakkun can immediately tell me or anyone else if something happens. Pakkun, please watch over Iruka. He has a wound in his side and if the stitches open you have to tell someone at the hospital right away."

"If there's no choice..." the dog said, stifling a yawn.

"Well, I'm going." Kakashi hesitated before he kept on talking, "See you tonight?"

Iruka ignored the dog's curious eyes and nodded, trying not to blush. He was unsuccessful.

TBC

* * *

 **A/N:** And here the second chapter. I hope you liked it!

Thanks for the reviews and thanks to my beta Merley.

Khira


	3. Chapter 3

**Scene 3**

Kakashi was unable to stand for much longer. Itachi's genjutsu had been brutal. His mind was so torn apart as if he had really spent three whole days, seventy-two uninterrupted hours, being tortured with dual katanas piercing his body over and over again.

Someone yelled for him, it was Gai. As he struggled to not lose consciousness, he heard the voices of his friends.

"Don't look at Itachi's eyes, Gai. That's how his technique works."

"I already knew that. Kakashi has the Sharingan, right? I have ideas about how to confront it. Keep your eyes open. It's fine as long as you don't look directly into his eyes. We can fight him looking at his reflection in the water."

"Ok…"

"That sounds great, but there's only one person who can do that: you."

"You can do that... or fight him looking at his feet. There is a method to do it, but now we don't have time. Just try it."

"What are you going to do now?"

"Kurenai, take Kakashi to the hospital." Kakashi tried to stand when Kurenai grabbed him, but he could barely bear his own weight, "Asuma, you help me here. I've called for backup. For now, we'll keep them busy."

"Aren't you too confident?" That was the voice of Kisame.

"Kisame, stop." Kakashi shuddered when he heard Itachi's voice again, "It makes no sense to start a war, that wasn't our intention. We'll go."

"Are we going to run away? Unacceptable!" Even with his retort, Kisame accepted, because a second later the two chakras vanished from the area.

"Damn bastards..." Kurenai sneered, grabbing Kakashi harder, "Well, I'll take Kakashi to the hospital."

"No..." Kakashi managed to say, on the brink of unconsciousness.

"Kakashi..." Gai's voice sounded really worried. He must look terrible.

"Take me to my house. In the hospital... they can't do anything for me. I just... I just need to rest..."

"All right." Asuma said.

"And... Inform Iruka."

And, with that, he fainted.

* * *

The ninja academy was closed for many days. Too many days. Iruka looked at the building nostalgically; he felt like he hadn't taught in ages.

 _«Hopefully the new Hokage will be named soon»_ he thought to himself, and felt a pang in the heart as he remembered the Third. Losing Sarutobi Hiruzen was like losing his father all over again.

Another twinge of pain, this time physical, forced him to sit on a nearby stone bench. His wounded side was almost healed but the stitches still hurt. At least, for now, he wouldn't be sent to another mission. Iruka still had nightmares. Harsh, bloody nightmares.

Suddenly, someone came up to him to his feet, "Iruka-sensei" the stranger greeted. He was a young ninja. He was one of Kurenai's usual subordinates, Iruka remembered, "Kurenai-taicho sent me to find you. You have to come with me."

"Kurenai asks for me?" Iruka asked, puzzled, "Where do I have to go?"

"To Hatake Kakashi's place."

"What?" Iruka rose to his feet, causing another tug on his stitches, "Ugh!... Is there something wrong with Kakashi?"

"I don't know. I have orders to take you there alone."

"Let's go then."

Kakashi's apartment was not far from there. Just as they reached the building, someone ran out of the gate with his face twisted.

"Sasuke!" Iruka called after him, but Sasuke didn't respond. He just kept running and in an instant Iruka moved away to let him pass. Then came Gai who did the same, "What the hell…?"

They went up to Kakashi's apartment. Iruka had never been there before; it was a little bigger than Iruka's, and tidier than expected. Kakashi was in the bedroom, asleep in his bed; and Kurenai and Asuma were also there, standing. Both jounins looked at Iruka curiously.

"Thank you, Kei", Kurenai said to his subordinate, "You can leave now." The ninja did.

Iruka looked closely at Kakashi and realized that he was not asleep. He was unconscious and very pale.

"What happened to him?" he asked, trying to hide his anxiety. It was assumed that he and Kakashi were just acquaintances, or friends, at best.

"A genjutsu from Uchiha Itachi." Asuma explained.

"Itachi?! Itachi is in the village?"

"He was. With another ninja. But both have already left."

"Sasuke," Iruka remembered with a start. Sasuke knew of his brother's visit, that was why he looked so upset, "What did they want?"

"They want Naruto. We guess because of the Kyuubi."

Iruka felt the ground move beneath his feet. Two rogue ninjas, one of them the dangerous Uchiha Itachi, went after Naruto. Or better said, after the Kyuubi. Always the damn Kyuubi.

"We have to protect him!" he exclaimed. "We have to watch him. We can't let..."

"We won't let anything happen to him, Iruka." Asuma assured him, "Jiraiya is already with him."

That calmed down Iruka quite a bit. From what he knew, Jiraiya-sama, the legendary sennin, was as strong as the Third and Orochimaru.

With the issue of Naruto resolved, Iruka turned his attention to the motionless Kakashi. He felt again the curious stares of the jounins on him and coughed.

"Will he recover?" he asked.

"Yes, he just needs to rest. We don't know for sure, but we believe that Itachi mentally tortured him with a genjutsu for a long time in his mind. It might feel like hours or even days or weeks."

Iruka's heart sank. Poor Kakashi...

Suddenly there was an awkward silence in the room. Iruka coughed again.

"Why did you call me? Or was it just to tell me about Naruto?"

"We have called you because Kakashi asked us so before fainting."

The chuunin felt flushed, not only because of embarrassment but also anger. He was going to kill Kakashi. As soon as he woke up, he would _kill_ him.

"Me?" he asked, faking surprise, praying mentally that Kakashi had not been telling his friends about them, "Why me?"

Asuma shrugged.

"We guess he considers you a good friend, Iruka." Kurenai said, although she seemed to know more than she let on.

"I guess so…"

"Well, we should go." Asuma grumbled, "We have to tell more people about Itachi's courtesy visit."

"Can you take care of Kakashi until he wakes up?" Kurenai requested, "Since he expressly asked for you."

Kurenai's words had a slight tinge of amusement in them, or so it seemed to Iruka. He just nodded.

"In that case, we can go. See you Iruka."

"Goodbye."

So Iruka was left alone with the unconscious Kakashi.

He sat on the edge of the bed, and watched the jounin carefully. Suddenly he didn't feel so angry anymore. Kakashi was too still, livid, and had huge dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept in days. The genjutsu must have been excruciating. And knowing that he, Iruka, had been the last person who Kakashi had called before falling into unconsciousness, the person he wanted to have by his side after that horrific torture, that was touching.

"Do you love me that much...?"

With his knuckles, he caressed Kakashi's pale cheeks gently. On reflection, he decided to pull down his mask. Kakashi had already picked up on that habit when they were alone, so he guessed he wouldn't mind. Chastely, he kissed him on the lips and, when he stood aside, Iruka noticed something. A feeling in the stomach. Something that he hadn't felt for years. A familiar and _terrifying_ feeling.

Many hours passed. Iruka received news from Kurenai and Asuma; Naruto, Jiraiya and also Sasuke had met Itachi and the other ninja, Kisame, but Jiraiya had made them flee. Now Naruto and Jiraiya were preparing to leave in search of the third sennin, Tsunade, to offer her the position of Hokage.

It was night and Iruka hadn't eaten since the morning, so he decided to get into Kakashi's kitchen and prepare himself something for dinner. He would also prepare something for Kakashi in case he woke up. It was no easy task as the fridge and pantry were almost empty. Apparently the jounin didn't eat at home.

He was boiling some broth with meat scraps and vegetables when he noticed movement in the kitchen doorway. He turned his head quickly and there was Kakashi, leaning with one hand on the frame, watching Iruka as if he were an apparition, when it was actually Kakashi who was the one who looked like a ghost with that pallor and those eye bags.

"Kakashi. You shouldn't get up yet." Iruka scolded.

"You're here…" the jounin said, ignoring the rebuke, visibly pleased.

"Of course I'm here. You called..." He wasn't able to continue because, with agility improper of someone who had been KO'd for hours because of a mental torture, Kakashi rushed and hugged him.

Iruka was paralyzed for a moment, surprised by this effusiveness, but soon returned the hug. He buried a hand in the jounin's silver-hair and stroked his neck.

"Are you feeling better…?" he asked with affection.

Kakashi didn't answer. Pulling back, he grabbed Iruka's neck, and hit their lips together. The chuunin groaned in surprise. He tried to respond to the kiss, but Kakashi was desperate. His tongue was everywhere in his mouth and Iruka couldn't keep up. With a flip the jounin ripped his rubber band and threw it to the ground. That had become a custom, Iruka realized.

Suddenly Kakashi pushed him, forcing him to walk a few steps backward until the bottom of Iruka's back hit the wooden table. The jounin grabbed his waist and lifted Iruka to sit on it.

 _«Oh, gods...»,_ was all Iruka managed to think with his heart pounding when Kakashi laid on top of him on the table and tightened their bodies... well, there was no part of their bodies that weren't in contact, and, as if that wasn't enough, Kakashi was moving his hips against Iruka's in such a compromising position. _Dry sex_ , young people called it. By now the two were more than excited and Iruka felt mad when the friction between their erections became almost unbearable.

"Kakashi…" he groaned when the other man finally released his lips from his own, "Ah!"

Then Kakashi paused the infernal movement of his hips, and with one hand he unbuttoned his fly. Iruka tried to say something, but Kakashi silenced him with another kiss while unbuttoning Iruka's pants.

Iruka panicked. What did Kakashi want to do? Until now, during the few weeks they had been seeing each other, they hadn't gotten so far, just kisses and hand jobs without removing clothes. But now Kakashi seemed willing to fuck him over the kitchen table, and Iruka was not prepared for it, physically nor mentally.

"Kakashi, stop..." Iruka pushed him with both hands by the shoulders, and at first Kakashi ignored him and tugged at his pants, but fortunately Iruka didn't help and they stayed in their place, "Kakashi, stop! STOP!"

The shout made Kakashi finally stop; he sat up and looked dazed and breathless. Iruka was panting too.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I can't..." Iruka whispered. Kakashi looked confused. Worse than confused, Iruka realized. "Kakashi, are you all right?"

"No..." Kakashi admitted, and immediately was slipping down the side of the table.

"Kakashi!"

Iruka jumped quickly to the floor in time to prevent the other to hit his head against the hard tile floor of the kitchen. The jounin was unconscious again.

"Shit, Kakashi... You shouldn't have gotten up!" Iruka scolded, even knowing that the other couldn't hear him, rocking his head against his chest. He sighed. Then he noticed that Kakashi's shirt had a few blood spots in the back area; he lifted the cloth and saw there was a wound, a burn abrasion, didn't seem very serious but would need treatment so not to get infected. "This will not heal itself. I'll take you to the hospital."

* * *

In the hospital they healed Kakashi's back wound; as to his mental state they couldn't do much for him, though they could at least watch him until he woke up again. So although Iruka hated hospitals, he stayed there all night with him. He only left the room to visit Sasuke who was admitted at the same hospital and also unconscious because of his brother.

The next morning Gai appeared. He didn't seem very surprised to find Iruka there.

"How is he doing?" the green beast of Konoha asked as he was looking at his best rival.

"No changes. Well, yesterday he woke up for a few minutes..." Iruka couldn't help but blush a little recalling the incident on the kitchen table, "But he fainted again. Then I saw he had a wound on his back and brought him here."

"Of course, the explosion," Gai murmured to himself, "We didn't know it had hurt him so much."

"Explosion?"

"Itachi blew a clone, and Kakashi protected Kurenai. That must have been when his back was injured."

Iruka looked at Kakashi with affection. He was always so protective, so heroic.

"I didn't know Kakashi and you were such good friends." Gai remarked suddenly, causing Iruka to stare. There was something in the jounin's tone he didn't like at all... It was almost _hostile_.

"We have Naruto in common." the chuunin murmured, "That boy connects a lot of people." Even if the answer was a joke, the tone he used was dry.

"I see. But when Kakashi asked us to call you, just before fainting, it didn't seem like you two were _only_ connected by Naruto."

Iruka's jaw tightened.

"What do you mean?"

Gai smiled, but for once his smile was not brilliant and authentic, but tense.

"Nothing. Hey, if you want, you can leave. I'll stay with Kakashi."

"Sure." Iruka rose, he hadn't felt so angry in a while, "Let me know if there are any changes."

"I will. Goodbye."

Knowing that it would not wake Kakashi, Iruka slammed the door when he left.

TBC

* * *

 **N/A:** I'm sorry to announce that I can't continue posting this story because I don't have an english beta right now. I'll return when I have one.


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